Curiosity Can Kill
by PoisonLily
Summary: When John old friend comes to visit, she brings more than old memories. Sherlock/OC Rated M for mentions of erotic magazines and OC character's occupation as well as later chapters. ( Newly updated and rewritten)
1. Chapter 1 : The Monroe's

**Read and enjoy and please review all comments are welcome. **

**This is slightly AU but takes place between 'A Study in Pink' and 'The Blind Banker'. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything but Scarlett and Oliver. **

**Chapter 1: The Monroes'**

Even now with soaking wet hair and her shivering. Scarlett was getting wolf whistled; through she would never admit it as she was the less vain person you could ever meet. Scarlett was every man's dream, she had a body most women would kill for, large but not too big breasts, an impossibly small waist and nice sized hips. As well as she was incredibly beautiful, she had long jet black hair that ran in large curls over her shoulders and the most dazzling emerald green eyes. But what Scarlett was proud of was her personality, Scarlett Monroe was a model, she had worked very hard to get her job, but she was proud that unlike everyone around her, she was still the small person she had always been. She was not vain, pretentious or rude and had not fallen prey to media that told her to be skinny and have surgery. She was the same bubbly English rose she had always been. She was loud, happy go lucky, down to earth and most of all she was intelligent. Very intelligent although she like many other people suffered from dyslexia, she didn't let it bother her and prided herself in her own skills and intelligence, having achieved a degree in English Literature and foreign languages.

She had grown up without knowing her mother; Clio Monroe had died only hours after Scarlett's birth having suffered a fit. Through Scarlett knew much about her mother from her elder brother Oliver. He was 4 years older than her, their father had left very early on. Leaving Oliver and Scarlett in the care of their grandmother, she was old and by the time Scarlett was 2 she had passed away. Oliver 6 and Scarlett 2 were taken into care, but were soon adopted by a couple who could not conceive. Nancy and Phil Harrison became their parents and even to this day both Oliver and Scarlett refer to them as Mum and Dad, through both kept the memory of their true mother alive by using her second name. They didn't know much as Oliver was only young when she died, but with the help of their adoptive mother Nancy they learnt more about Clio, their real mother.

Clio Monroe was a children's nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital and worked very hard, she was a caring and beautiful woman and between them Scarlett and Oliver had many photographs. Oliver had joined the army when he was 20 and was still there, he had just returned to Afghanistan after a short spout of leave. When he had first joined the army he had met a man called John Watson, he was a doctor in the same squadron as Oliver, and they in turn had become good friend John was a year younger than Oliver, Scarlett had met John many times and she in turn had become good friends with him. She had even gone on a date with him but after finding it to strange they both decided not to do it again. And that was why she was walking in the pouring rain in the middle of July down Baker Street, Oliver had a few things to return to John but had been ship out before he got a chance to go so Scarlett had volunteered, liking the idea of catching up with an old friend.

She was excited to met John again; he was a good man and friend. She was interested to see what he had been up to since getting back from Afghanistan, John hadn't told her much over the phone when she had last spoken to him, to tell him about Oliver. Her curiosity was defiantly peeking.

**Please Review, Tell me what you think, sorry it was short but I only wanted this chapter to introduce the character the next will be longer, promise! **


	2. Chapter 2 : Sherlock Holmes

**Ok so hope you all like the last one, once again please review, John and Sherlock are in this one. This one I not sure about as I have found writing Sherlock's Character quite difficult but hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Scarlett and Oliver **

**Chapter 2: Sherlock Holmes **

The rain still poured as Scarlett knock loudly on 221b Baker Street, there was no answer. By now her clothes were soaked and she was freezing. Sighing she knocked again and pressed the doorbell repeatedly, Scarlett stood there in the pouring rain for five minutes before giving up, what a wasted journey.

A black cab pulled up in front of her and she rushed to it, allowing the two men to exit first. She jumped in after them her clothes squelching as she sat, slamming the door.

"Scarlett?" said a voice and she looked up, now standing outside the cab was the man who had just exited the cab. Scarlett was surprised she had not noticed him.

"John Watson" cried Scarlett, leaping out the cab and shutting the door again, the driver gave her a look which she did not notice, before taking off.

"What are you doing here" he cried

"I'll tell you in a minute can we get inside first" she said shivering and looking up into the still down pouring sky.

"oh yeah sure" he said holding out his hand indicating her to go first, ahead standing at the door was a tall lean man, with long curly black hair. He opened the door and stepped inside and went straight up the stairs.

"Gone on up you go" said John as he shut the door behind Scarlett, who shivered at the sudden warmth. Scarlett rushed up the stairs and into a room where the man with black hair was now lighting the fire. John was not far behind her and he pulled off his coat and sat down.

"Oh just dump your coat anywhere" said John looking around, the flat was cluttered and papers lay all about, every surface was covered included the sofa. Scarlett pulled off her large, fur collared coat and laid it over the back of a chair, through her coat was long a lot of rain had fallen down the front wetting her chest, her jeans had absorbed the rain and now felt heavy.

Scarlett wore a capped shelve corset top so it had come out mostly unscathed, but her bare flesh was now covered in goose bumps.

"So much for the summer" she laughed

"yeah tell me about it" John laughed in return.

"So how have you been, I haven't seen you in a while" John asked

"I'm good just back from doing a big photo shoot for a really big company" Scarlett said smiling, though something was amiss.

"Oh brilliant well done" John said smiling.

"Would you really call Playboy _a really big company_" asked a voice. Now sitting opposite John was the black haired man, now Scarlett could see him properly she had to admit he was very attractive.

He was tall, lean, and with the most dazzling blue eyes she had ever seen, he had prominent cheek bones and talked with an air of superiority.

"Sorry about him, this is Sherlock Holmes, my colleague and flat mate. He's the one I told you about on the phone" John sighed rolling his eyes.

"Oh so you're the consulting detective, Nice to meet you I'm Scarlett Monroe" Scarlett replied but Sherlock didn't respond

"And Yes playboy is a huge modelling company possibly the biggest in world" she said looking at him but she couldn't help but smile

"And anyway how did you know" Scarlett asked, John immediately gave her a look of horror.

"Oh did you have to ask him that" John whined rubbing his temples. Scarlett simply looked from Sherlock to John quizzically.

"Simply the tan line on your shoulders suggest you have been in the sun with only a bikini on, and since the weather in England has been less than sunny, that would suggest you were aboard. Your phone shows the wrong time showing you have travelled to America and forgotten to put the time back to the English clock. The dark circles under your eyes suggest jet lag and that is only experienced from a flight of 9 hours or more, America is around 10. Though you have tried to cover the marks with make-up suggesting that you take pride in you looks and your clothing suggests you are not embarrassed to show it off. So I would say that you work with your body, as a model. Plus the fact you mentioned a photo-shoot, but they way you hold yourself does not imply press or photography, so once again model. You talk with a tone which shows you do not want to be mistaken as stupid, this may because you feel your job makes people judge you, so it's a job that holds a taboo about it, so erotic model. So Playboy would be the simplest choice and of course there is a copy in your bag of said magazine with you as the feature" he said quickly as though it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Right ok then, wow, your girlfriend must love you" Scarlett laughed glancing down at the phone in her left hand, how had he seen the clock

"With deduction skills like that you must be a God in the sack" She laughed slightly, sitting down on a chair John had retrieved from the kitchen while Sherlock was talking. Scarlett heard John snicker and she only grinned at him, Sherlock merely stared at you.

"So... anyway" Scarlett laughed again feeling slightly awkward suddenly, as a silence fell over the three of them.

"I have some stuff that Ollie wanted me to give you".

She opened her handbag and pulled out a carrier bag, she opened the carrier bag and began to pass the items inside to John.

A wooden handled dagger that had some strange inscription on it including the word "Go Watson GO!", a photo taken of the entire squadron, a card wishing John a speeding recovery signed by the whole squadron, a rather tatty looking book and of course the Playboy magazine which Sherlock had so skilfully seen. She still didn't know how as she was sure her bag was closed. On the Playboy magazine was a note that read _"Have a look at this, you know you want to, from Ollie P.S you owe me big time LOL and THAT'S MY LITTLE SISTER YOU PERVERT! :D" _

"Same old Ollie" John Laughed throwing the Magazine onto the sofa, where it landed knocking papers onto the floor.

"I know" Scarlett laughed "sorry about that" she looked over to were the magazine had now slid onto the floor, the word PLAYBOY were hidden behind the photographed Scarlett's head head, in the photo she wore a tight waist coat and stockings and nothing else, she was looking up at the camera so it had a perfect view down her breasts.

Scarlett's phone rang and she looked down at it, the name 'Sammy! :D' was flashing on the screen.

"Sorry I should take this" she said but neither male made any response, so leaving her bag by the sofa she made her way back out into the hall by the top of the stairs and answered her phone.

"Hello" Scarlett called happily

"Hey you" called the voice of her friend Samantha "

I think I have found you the perfect man" she said, for the last few months Sam had been trying to set Scarlett up with everyone she met, so far they had all just wanted to met the playboy cover girl and not the real Scarlett and those who did meet her seem rather disappointed with the real person.

"Oh yeah" Scarlett said rolling her eyes; she looked back into the room where John and Sherlock still sat.

"Sorry about this" Scarlett mouthed to John, her hand on the receiver.

"yep exactly what you love, tall, dark hair, lean, blue eyes, that's what you said was you type oh and he's a nurse so he's really clever" Sam said excitedly.

"A male nurse, not exactly macho" Scarlett laughed

"Oh you're so picky, why don't you meet him?" Samantha whined

"Has he seen the Playboy mag" Scarlett asked sighing slightly.

"Well, I... does that really matter" Sam asked.

"Yes of course it matters, I am not interested in dating some guy who is only interested in me because I happened to be on the cover of Playboy magazine, I am not some whore you can pimp to anyone you meet" Scarlett said slightly more loudly than she had meant to.

"I'll see you later Sam , and don't find someone else" Scarlett said

"But what if they are perfect for you" Sammy still sounded far too excited.

"No Sam, I'm not interested in how prefect they are for me, he could be 6 foot anything, have the most dazzling blue eyes you have ever seen and prefect dark hair, and I wouldn't care" Scarlett said to her quickly.

"Yeah alright alright but they could be the one and your missing out on that" she said

"mathematic there are actually around 5 possible mates for every person, so It's unlike he going to THE ONE" Scarlett said sighing "bye Sam" she said before you cancelled the call and walking back into the room she sat in her chair again and threw her phone into her bag, with a resounding 'thuck. Scarlett had grown tired of Samantha setting her up with people; she was perfectly capable of finding Mr Right herself.

"Actually it's around 12" said Sherlock suddenly,

"You what?" She said slightly confused by his sudden outburst.

"the number of suitable mates for each person" he said simply

"Oh right well yeah, I kinda have my own way to whittle them down" she said Sherlock didn't say anything simply stared and raised his eyebrow slightly a slight smirk pulling at his lips.

"I have a type, you know like everyone" Under his gaze she stuttered.

"What's your type" he asked slowly his face unchanging.

"Urr the classic I guess tall, dark and handsome" She laughed nervously

"Oh come on it must be more than that" he said looking to Scarlett a small smile still on his face.

Desperately Scarlett looked to John for help but he seemed too involved in flipping through the pages of the small book she had given him earlier, to even register the conversation.

"Umm well I like tall guys, lean I'm not really one for muscles, quite like guys that are skinning almost. I like hipbones, I know it's weird. Umm dark longish hair, blue or green eyes and personality something that make them different. Oh and clever I like to be able to chat about more than just the football" Scarlett said for a second it didn't cross her mind, then there it was like a flashing light.

She had just described her prefect man and the description matched Sherlock perfectly. He was tall about a head taller than you, the prefect height, he was lean through he seem toned slightly, blue eyes, oh yes he had eyes that seemed to just draw you in like a moth to a flame and then of course personality something that made him interesting, if Sherlock wasn't interesting then who was.

Scarlett's eyes went wide and she stared at him, did Sherlock just get her to admit she fancied him. Sherlock simply grinned "so then Mr Holmes what is your type" Scarlett asked looking to him and sitting forward slightly, but before he could answer.

"Well you have to tell your brother thanks for this, it's nice of him to think of me" John interrupted finally looking up from the book.

"Not a problem, I best be off you know things to do, I've got a shoot tomorrow so up nice and early and all, but we have to catch up again soon, go for dinner or something" Scarlett said to John as she got up before pulling her coat on, It was very nearly dry now, though her hair was still damp, she grabbed her bag and pulled it onto her shoulder.

"Yeah yeah sure that would be great, I'll give you a call" he said excitedly.

"Yeah yeah sure, alright then I'll see you around" Scarlet said making her way to the door again.

"Oh here's my mobile number and house number, I don't think I ever gave you my new one since I moved" she pulled out a pen and scrap piece of paper from her bag and wrote her number as well as her address. "

There that's my address as well, you know just in case" Scarlett said handing the paper to John

"Oh wow you're only round the corner" he said looking at the paper.

"Yep that's why I walked" Scarlett laughed making her way to the door, Sherlock stood.

"We'll see you out" he said John shoot him a very strange look.

"Well it was nice seeing you again, John and it was lovely to met you Sherlock" She said as they reached the front door it was no longer raining, and Scarlett stood outside as she talked to them , John stood in the doorway, Sherlock at his side.

"I best be off, but don't be a stranger" She said kissing John on the cheek, "either of you." She said eyeing Sherlock, who simply smirked.

"Sure I'll give you a call tomorrow, and we can't sort something out" John said smiling

"Sounds great" She said turning away from them.

"Bye" John called as she set off.

"Bye" Scarlett called blowing each a kiss and winking at Sherlock. She heard the door shut and made her way off down the street, she would be seeing them again Sherlock was far to interesting to be left alone.

**Please Review, Thanks for Reading!**


	3. Chapter 3: Just Lunch

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Scarlett and Bruce**

**Chapter 3: Just Lunch**

John shut the door and made his way up the stairs, Sherlock at his heels.

"She isn't going to go out with you" said Sherlock sitting down by the fire once more.

"Oh yeah, do indulge me" said John rolling his eyes.

"It's rather simply, she sees you more as a brother type figure, besides you're not her type" said Sherlock simply, picking up a newspaper from a pile of papers.

"Oh so what is her type" said John, sometimes he really couldn't believe Sherlock, one minute he was up and the next he was down, sometimes his unpredictability just irked John a bit.

"Me" said Sherlock simply looking rather pleased with himself.

"You? No way" John said astonished.

"Well I could still try, to ask her out" said John a while later after a long period of silence.

"You will fail in every attempt to WOO her, you are not her type as I have already said" Sherlock didn't even look up from his newspaper and his voice had returned to its usual bored tone.

"Why do you care what I do anyway" said John, did Sherlock like Scarlett and was trying to get rid of the competition.

"I thought you were married to your work" he laughed slightly. Sherlock peered at him over the newspaper frowning slightly

"I don't care" he said finally though his voice was not as strong as he would have hoped.

That night while John was working nights at a local clinic, Sherlock found himself alone and bored. Mrs Hudson had taken his gun and his skull, he lay on his chair most of his body hanging over the side, he stared up at the bullet holes in the wall.

"Bored!" he cried loudly and stood up quickly giving himself head rush. He walked over to the sofa and cleared the papers off, and they landed with a silent Oof. He lay down staring up at the ceiling, then out the corner of his eye he noticed something.

The magazine had opened in the fall and no lay open on a page containing a blonde in a rather compromising position. He picked it up curiously; Sherlock had never looked through a porn magazine before. When all the other boys were getting interested in girls, he was developing his deduction skills. He turned it to the front, Scarlett was on the front page, wearing nothing but a pair of stockings and a waist coat. Sherlock didn't look at her bare flesh no matter how enticing it was. He looked at her eyes, in the picture she was biting her bottom lip softly, she looked playful, though her eyes told a different story, they look sad and empty. Far from the vibrancy he had seen in them today. She hated her job; Sherlock had work that out before, when she talked about it she sounded far too excited as though she were convincing herself. When she was on the phone she had stated she did not want a man who was only interested in her being a model. She was intelligent and wanted to not be judged.

He turned the page to her article, his breath caught in his throat. She lay on a bed looking up at the camera, her legs were turned to the side so he could not see much but she lay bare breasted, biting her lip once again. He shut the magazine and threw it across the room, he felt strange almost excited. He couldn't deny that Scarlett was highly attractive, but also she intrigued him, why did she work in a job she hated.

The was a light tap on the door, before Mrs Hudson stood her head peeking round the door. "Sherlock dear there is a young lady to see you" she said a small smile on her face, Sherlock stood and peered out the window; Scarlett stood there a large dog stood with her. She was scared to walk alone and felt safer with a large dog. Sherlock looked in the mirror and ran a hand through his hair, he stopped himself why was he doing this, why did he care what he looked like. "Thank you Mrs Hudson".

He made his way down the stairs he heart was racing, why did he feel so strange.

"Scarlett" he said peering round the door which had been left slightly ajar

"oh Sherlock sorry I think I left my purse in your flat" she said calmly, how could she feel so calm when he felt so uptight.

"At least I hope I left it her otherwise I fear I may of lost it" she said pulling the dog slightly nearer and peering around. Sherlock looked at the dog warily, the only dogs he had ever been around were the police German Sheppard's, but they were dwarfed in comparison to Scarlett's beast.

"oh don't worry about him, he's a soppy as anything just looks tough, I hate walking around London on my own at a night and Bruce make me feel safer" she explained the dog sat at her side and stared up at Sherlock it's head turned to the side making it looked dopey rather than forbidding.

"Bruce" he said quizzically

"I know cliché name but I couldn't resist" she laughed. He simply smiled

"Come in then and you can look for your purse" he said stepping inside and allowing her and the dog to pass.

"Bruce stay" she said sternly to the dog, who looked at her rather stupidly at her but laid down none the less. She made her way up the stairs Sherlock not far behind her.

* * *

It took just 15 minutes to find her purse,

"It's here" he called to her pulling out the heavy purple purse from behind the sofa and handing it to her.

"Thanks, Well I see you soon" she said before she swiftly left. He watched her from the window crossing the road and making her way home. She was like no one else he had met; she was hiding something, something big. Sherlock had never met anyone who was able to hide anything from him, never, no secrets, but he knew she had a secret and he would find out what. He didn't want to like her, she was suspicious, but some strange part of his brain went crazy when she was there, a part he hadn't even knew existed before. He would find out her secret and he would find out why she made his mind race. She was far to interesting to be left alone.

By the time Scarlett got back from Sherlock and John's flat it was around 8oclock, she ate and feed Bruce, but her mind kept returning to a certain person, Sherlock Homes. He was so strange he was not what you would call friendly but he was not rude, but rather fascinating, something about him made her have a hundred thoughts at once. She knew he had probably worked out everything about her from the tiniest thing, but she was still enthralled by him.

She watched telly, nothing much was happening in the world, well nothing new anyway. There was a buzz on the intercom at around 9 that night, Scarlett stood, sighing. Who would that be so late at night?

"Hello" she called picking up the receiver.

"Oh hello sorry to disturb you, but my car has broken down and I wonder if you have any jump leads" called a man's voice it spoke strangely as though he were changing his voice somehow.

"Err no sorry don't drive, try the flat above he has a car" Scarlett said suspiciously, she pulled on the wire and peered out the window.

"Oh not a problem" said the voice and the line went dead. In the middle of the road there was a car, though its lights were on and the engine was running it had not broken down. Scarlett watched as a man walked over to the car and simply drove off,

"That was weird" she said out loud as she sat back down. His car hadn't broken down and why had he called Scarlett's flat why not the first floor why the third, it just didn't make sense. She racked her brains for an answer but came up with none.

'_Maybe it was just a prank call and if I had gone out I would have got egged or something'_ She thought to herself as she got into bed that night.

* * *

Morning seemed to come quicker than Scarlett would have liked, she showered, ate breakfast and took Bruce for his morning walk, before returning to dress. She wore no make-up and didn't bother with her hair, what was the point they would do all that at the photo-shoot anyway. She wore tracksuit bottoms and a vest top, she pulled on her hoody as she picked up her bag.

"By lovely" Scarlett called as the Great Dane watched her leave, he looked so sad. She shut and locked the door, she had left the balcony door open for him so he wouldn't get to hot and could go outside if he wanted to.

The walk to the main road didn't take long and soon she was sitting in a cab on the way to the shoot. Today you were doing a shoot for a perfume ad, you didn't act but you would be on billboards and magazines. They took hours to do Scarlett's make-up and hair; sometimes it seemed like such as waste because it would take hours to make her up and then only half-hour to take a photo. Her mind drifted off into other things while she posed, in the silky gold dress.

At 1oclock the shoot was over. God sometimes Scarlett really wished she had a more meaningful job, the only reason she still did it was because it paid well and living in London wasn't cheat. Besides what else was she supposed to do.

On Scarlett's way out her phone rang,

"Hello" she called cheerily pulling on her hoody, it did look quite strange, her clothes were mismatched and uncaring, but to contradict that her hair and make-up were so prefect.

"Hi Scarlett its John" he sounded rather pleased with himself,

"I was just wondering if you would like to go for lunch if you're free that is" he said quickly.

"I would love to, where?" She asked smiling to her manager as she left the studio.

"Umm how about that little Italian place, on Fleet Street" he asked

"Sounds great" Scarlett heard another voice say.

"Well I wasn't really inviting you" said John his voice seemed further away as though he was holding the phone away from him.

"That would be wonderful, I see you both there in a bit" Scarlett laughed slightly.

"yeah I guess so" John sighed and with that Scarlett put the phone down giggling.

Scarlett didn't take long to get there, it was warm today and the sun was out, finally the weather was trying to be summery, after all it was only July. Soaking in the sun she took a seat outside to wait for John and Sherlock, taking off her hoodie.

"May I help you miss" said a waiter with a real Italian accent.

"Urr I'm waiting for some friends but I'll have an espresso while I wait" She replied smiling, the waiter was rather good looking. He was defiantly her type, tall, dark hair. But he was tanned and she had to admit she liked pale guys and he was quite muscular something which she was not overly keen on, but what was some harmless flirting.

He grinned back before walking away to place her order, Scarlett sat adding sugar to her coffee as Sherlock and John got out of a taxi, in front of her.

"Hi" said John cheerfully

"Hi" she replied as he took a seat opposite her.

"Hi Sherlock" Scarlett said he simply nodded in return before picking up a menu and hiding himself behind it.

"So how was the shoot" as John looking up for his menu sometime later when they had drinks as well,

"Yeah it was great" She said happily,

"If you're in a job you hate why do you stay" said Sherlock not even peering up from his menu.

"I don't hate my job" Scarlett lied

"You're an awful liar" he said slowly.

Scarlett glared at him, why was he being so strange when before he had seemed perfectly nice.

"You're a strange man Sherlock" She said to him frowning.

"I've been told" he said simply,

"So anyway, what have you been up too?" Scarlett asked trying to break the tension "Got any cases".

"Yes but apparently it's not interesting enough for Sherlock. I mean I don't think I can afford to pay Mrs Hudson for anymore bullet holes and I'm getting less and less sleep because of his violin playing" John said Scarlett laughed slightly though she was a little worried, about bullet holes.

"You play violin? Me too" She questioned looking to Sherlock

"Really" he said sounding very bored "yeah, I'm not very good, learnt when I was young, think I've probably lost it now though" She said turning away from his gaze and turning to look to John.

"Are you ready to order" asked the waiter eyeing Scarlett a little too much, she grimaced he wasn't that good looking.

After he had taken their orders he left to place them,

"That waiter is sexually attracted to you" said Sherlock suddenly making Scarlett choke on her coffee.

"In fact around 75% of all the men here including John have looked at your breasts at least three times" he said slowly, John went a rather shocking shade of pink and hid his head in his arms.

"John it doesn't matter, everyone does it, it's because there so in your face, I even find myself looking at them sometimes" She laughed slightly though he didn't raise his head.

"And Sherlock I had notice, you didn't have to point it out" Scarlett said glancing around; he was right though even now half the men there were still staring at you. Feeling uncomfortable she put her hoody back on to cover her chest.

"That's hardly going to make a difference" said Sherlock looking at her pompously

"Well what do you expect me to do" She asked, he simply shrugged. John was looking up now though he was still rather pink, the food arrived the waiter winked at Scarlett before leaving. Sherlock went to speak.

"I know" Scarlett said rather annoyed that he had to point out the obvious. He shot her a rather nasty look before eating without another word. Once they were all finished, John seemed to find the courage to speak again

"So going on any dates" he asked throwing Sherlock a look which was ignored.

"Oh really John use your brain. She hasn't dated anyone for just under a year" he said simply

"Yeah thanks for shouting that out Sherlock" Scarlett said rather embarrassed, he simply stared at her his face unchanging.

"And she hasn't got any dates as she just turned down all the men her friend Samantha has found for her" he said boredly.

"Do you ever get bored of telling people things they already know" Scarlett spat, she didn't know why these comments were annoying her but they really were.

"And for your information I have date tomorrow night with a guy called Jay" She said irritated. Sherlock was quiet after that and did not speak for a long time finally when they had all paid and when hailing cabs, the first turned up and she jumped in followed by John and Sherlock.

"Remington House, Dorset Square" She said loudly to the driver, who set of almost immediately. The ride was silent and awkward, Scarlett felt sorry for John who sat between Scarlett and Sherlock.

Finally after what seemed like hours the driver pulled over next to her building.

"I'll see you later John, and next time maybe me and you should go out just the two of us" she said smiling sweetly to Sherlock,

"Have a nice time on your date" Sherlock scoffed.

"You know I feel sorry for you Sherlock. Living in that big brain of yours, unable to appreciate the small things in life. It really is a shame" Scarlett said to him as she jumped out the cab, slamming the door after her and making her way to her flat without another glance.

**Please review, all comments welcome. **


	4. Chapter 4: Where are you!

**Chapter 4: Where Are You?**

When Scarlett got in Bruce greeted her with earnest, he jumped up slightly making her take a step back and he was hardly a small dog. She took him for a short walk and then feed him before sitting down in front of the TV; Bruce joined her lying by her feet.

Scarlett's phone buzzed and she pulled it from her pocket,

'_Sorry about Sherlock, hope WE are still good, John X'_ read the text.

'_Of course we are good; I just think sometimes Sherlock forgets how to be human lol'_ she texted back. Scarlett was still a little annoyed at Sherlock's pure bluntness but accepted that just who he was, and she wasn't going to let it ruin her relationship with John.

By 3oclock Scarlett had fallen asleep on the sofa, her mouth agape and her arm hanging over the slide. She was woken by a loud ringing sound. It took her a few seconds to realise it was her home phone; she struggled to get up from her position and almost fell over Bruce who was lying at her feet, finally on the final ring she picked up.

"Hello" she said groggily

"Scarlett! Are you ok" came a voice, for a second it didn't dawn on her who it was, she had never heard worry in his voice before, in fact she hadn't every really heard any emotion at all.

"Are you ok" Sherlock called again his voice was more demanding now.

"Yes yes I'm fine why" Scarlett said confused rubbing her eye slightly.

"Why did it take you so long to pick up" he said his voice weak, it sounded like he was running.

"I was asleep" She said still confused.

"Why what's wrong" Scarlett questioned worriedly as she sat back on the sofa.

"Nothing... yet, me and John are on our way, were be at yours soon, I'll explain then, don't answer your phone or the door and don't leave, no matter what don't leave" he said sternly

"Taxi!" he shouted and the phone went dead. Scarlett's mobile bleeped angrily and she picked it up. _'10 messages, 4 missed calls'_ the display read:

_John called at 3:50PM_

_John Called at 3:53PM_

_John Called at 3:55PM_

_Unknown Called at 3:56PM_

_Messages:_

_Message from Jay: sorry can't make it tonight, I'll call you XXX_

_Message from John: Sherlock says you could be in danger, call me! John x_

_Message from John: you need to call me, you could be in Danger! John x_

_Message from Unknown: Don't leave your house SH_

_Message from John: Are you ok, where are you, John X_

_Message from Unknown: Call me or John we need to know you are ok SH_

_Message from John: If you are in danger just txt back YES_

_Message from John: please call me we are on our way_

_Message from Unknown: Don't answer the door SH_

_Message from John: Call me! John X_

Scarlett wondered what was going on but before she had much time the intercom buzzed

"Hello" Scarlett said warily

"Scarlett it's us let us up" She heard John's voice call.

Scarlett pressed the button, realising the door for them. Scarlett went over to were Bruce now stood "Guard" she said to him quietly and he stood up to his full height, his eyes fixed on the door as he stood in front of her protectively.

Scarlett held onto his collar just encase it really was Sherlock and John, the door pushed open and Sherlock stood there with John not far behind. Bruce barked and growled loudly and pulled at her grip on his collar.

"Calm" Scarlett shouted over his barks and he stopped pulling and looked up at her dumbly.

"Go on get out of here" she said to the Great Dane who padded off in the direction of her bedroom.

"It was stupid to allow us in without making sure it was us" said Sherlock as he looked around Scarlett's small flat, as if searching for something or someone.

"Well if you weren't who you said you were then Bruce would have ripped your throat out" Scarlett said, she was sure of that. Bruce may be stupid sometimes but he was a damn good guard dog, it was one of the reasons she had chosen his breed.

Sherlock looked at Scarlett as if he was going to argue the point, but shut his mouth as Bruce padded up to him, his head level with Sherlock's waist, his droopy eyes looking up at him.

"Anyway what's going on" Scarlett asked

"Sherlock thinks you're in trouble" said John sticking his head in the bathroom before retreating again.

"I Know that much but why"

Sherlock seemed to bypass your question entirely

"Why didn't you text back or answer any of the calls to your mobile" he asked picking it up, and looking at it strangely.

"I told you I was asleep and it was on vibrate" Scarlett said to him sitting down, Bruce laid down at her feet sleepily.

"Have you had any strange calls or activity in the area recently, someone new moved in" Sherlock asked stopping his search now and looking directly at her.

"Err no" Scarlett said thinking, and then she remembered last night.

"Oh wait yes, last night around 9, 10 o'clock someone buzzed the intercom, when I answered they said they had broken down and wondered if I had any jump leads, I said no. There's no point in driving in London, but I told them upstairs might since he drives, then this is the weird bit. When I looked out there was a car in the middle of the road, but it's engine was running, there was no way that had broken down, and well they didn't even call upstairs because I went straight to the window when I put the intercom down and I saw this man walking out to the car, and he just drove away" Scarlett said looking to Sherlock.

Suddenly he was pacing again and it was almost as if she could see his brain working at double the pace of anyone else's.

"He was making sure you lived here. Why didn't you tell us this before" he asked though he didn't look at her and continued to pace.

"Urr because I forgot about it, I thought it was some kind of prank" Scarlett said very confused now, though she was fascinated completely by Sherlock.

Suddenly he stopped and for a few second he just stood there his eyes wide and a look on his face that could only be described as a eureka moment.

"Stupid Stupid Stupid, how could I be so Stupid, It's so simple, he doesn't know Scarlett knows us, he was just boasting. He's such a child!" he shouted before he dashed out the door, leaving both Scarlett and John looking utterly bewildered

"What just happened" Scarlett asked John,

"Sherlock just happened" and within seconds of John's remark, Sherlock face had appeared around the door

"Coming?" he asked his face lit with excitement.

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	5. Chapter 5: JTR

**Chapter 5: J-T-R**

"Will someone tell me what's going on" Scarlett asked a little annoyed as Sherlock led her through the corridors of Scotland Yard. He stopped at a door the name "_DI Lestarde_" was written onto the frosted glass in the door.

He didn't knock before he entered, Scarlett and John follow quietly. An older man was already inside he had boring greying hair and wore a grey suit, he looked to be in his early to mid 40's and held an air of confusion and frustration about him.

"You must be Scarlett Monroe" he said holding out his hand.

"You must be Detective Inspector Lestarde" Scarlett said shaking his hand; he looked at her astonished.

"Your names on the door" Scarlett said slowly, that was obvious wasn't it.

"Right well yes" he stuttered slightly "Let's get on with this then Sherlock" he said striding over to his desk and leaning against looking at the younger man expectantly.

"He doesn't know Scarlett is anything to do with us, she is just the next in line, just a coincidence" Scarlett heard Sherlock say but she was far away as she stared at the letter on the desk.

An A4 piece of paper was lying on the desk, the words "_I found a new girlfriend, prettiest one so far! J-T-R_" was scrawled messily along the top in dark red ink, and then there underneath writing was the thing that had caught Scarlett's eye.

A photo of Scarlett posing, naked her top half completely exposed the bottom half barely covered, the photo had been cut neatly from the Playboy Magazine it was taken from, but that wasn't that that had shocked her, in the same red in as the writing was a line across your neck, the ink had seeped into the paper and so the liquid had smudged somewhat.

Scarlett could still hear Sherlock, Lestarde and John taking but none of it was sinking in, as fear licked at her throat, was this a death threat.

"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on!" Scarlett screamed picking up the paper and holding it out. The fear in Scarlett, must have shown in her voice. As all three men stopped talking and looked at her, Sherlock looked rather shocked.

"It's a case Sherlock has been working on" John was the first to speak

"I thought it was nothing special" Scarlett said still worried, she lowered herself into a chair,

"Not till now he sent us two letters" said Sherlock his eyes sparking with excitement.

"Two?" Scarlett asked quietly, though her voice was demanding.

"Yes the one you so cleverly found and this one" he said pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket and handing it to her, Scarlett unfolded it before throwing it down and jumping up from her seat.

The note was simple it read _"Look at my handy work" _and then were three photos, the first two were both stuck on the left hand side of the page, they too were models both naked, taken from a magazine.

Above the photos the word BEFORE was written than then there was the last photo, both the girls severed heads sat on a dirty wooden table their eyes still open, wide with terror above the photo was the word AFTER!.

Scarlett stared down at the piece of paper that had landed at her feet, she picked it up and handed it back to Sherlock who folded it in half and returned it to his pocket.

"I'm next" Scarlett stuttered looking back at the other letter that hung loosely in her hand.

"Yes looks like it" said Sherlock bluntly

"So some nut job is running around killing models and calling himself Jack The Ripper and I'm next" Scarlett said loudly as tears began to build up in her eyes.

"Yes, wait what did you say" said Sherlock rushing over to Scarlett and holding her by the shoulders

"What?" She said confused looking up into his cold blue eyes

"What did you say he was calling himself?" he said pressing

"Jack The Ripper?" She said questioned, what was so interesting about the name.

"How did you know that?" he demand

"On the note he signs as J-T-R" She said shaking her head, surely this wasn't important.

"That's what people use when they talk about Jack the Ripper online" for a second Sherlock just starred at Scarlett. His face strangely close to hers, that for a second she thought he was going to kiss her.

"You're a genius" he said finally and Scarlett blushed slightly.

"Why didn't I think of that, it's so simple" he said taking the letter from her grasp. "Oh it's all fitting into place" he said striding over to the desk and pulling out a file from the pile on the desk.

"What is?" said John looking over at his flatmate, he looked completely lost.

"Subject throat has been cut, prior to abdominal mutilation where internal organ have been removed, head and breasts are removed at least 3 hours after death" Sherlock read out,

"Just like the Ripper" Scarlett said, she had studied him in her A-Levels and had got and A on her report about him.

"Subject has also suffered rape at some point after death" he continued

"That's not like the Ripper" Scarlett said, taking a seat as once again her knees went weak.

"No he is copying but some of it is different, updated" Sherlock said thinking out loud "but he doesn't think of them as scum, The Ripper did if you can believe the Dear Boss letter was really from him, our Ripper thinks they are his girlfriend, lovers even. He loves them" he pondered for a few minutes.

"Scarlett you are going to stay with us for a few day to make sure you are safe, we don't know how he lures them in yet, but he know where you live now" he said after a while of silence

"I'll be placing a officer on your door, Sherlock" said Lestarde as Sherlock strode out the door his coat flapping behind him.

"Come on Scarlett, we haven't got long for you to pack if you are going to" Sherlock shouted "Thank you inspector" Scarlett said before running after him John beside her.

**Thanks to everyone who added me to their favourites. Please Review! **


	6. Chapter 6: 221b Baker Street

**Chapter 6: 221b Baker Street**

It took Scarlett just over an hour to pack everything she would need, Bruce was very confused as she pulled out her suitcase and rushed around the flat collecting things. John helped her carry everything to the cab that was waiting, Sherlock already inside. It hadn't quite hit her yet but someone was going to try to kill her, someone out there was planning her death. Scarlett suddenly felt the need to be close to someone, John sat in the front of the taxi, Sherlock in the back with Scarlett and Bruce. "221b Baker Street, please" said John and the taxi set off. Scarlett stroked Bruce's head to try and calm herself, but her nerves seemed to be building Scarlett left her flat behind.

The taxi stopped at the traffic light its engine humming, a man crossed the street, and he looked in through the window at Scarlett, staring hard. She began very paranoid and grabbed hold of the nearest thing she could, which happened to be Sherlock's arm. Scarlett tucked her head into it and shut her eyes tight, his jacket smelt musky, he had been a smoker a long time ago.

Suddenly Scarlett realised what she was holding on to, without letting go she flicked her eyes up to met his, he looked at her strangely and she let go and scooted over to the other side of the taxi. She starred out the window very embarrassed; she watched his reflection look at her before looking back out his own window without a word.

Once they arrived John helped unloaded the two heavy suitcases, while Scarlett tried to calm the excitable Great Dane at her feet. Sherlock was already inside, when Scarlett and John got in.

"Scarlett you can't stay in our flat because we have no space for you, but Mrs Hudson was kind enough to allow you to stay in her spare room" Sherlock said as Scarlett took one of her suitcases from John.

"Oh ok" she said, Scarlett didn't know why but right now she didn't like the idea of being in a different flat to John and Sherlock, even if it was only down stairs from theirs.

"Oh there you are dear" called Mrs Hudson rushing up to Scarlett, "Oh he's a big fella isn't he" said Mrs Hudson affectionately looking at Bruce, before scratching him roughly on the head.

"Well, follow me and we'll get you sorted" she said walking off, just right of the stairs leading to John and Sherlock's flat was a small corridor at the end was a glass panelled door similar to John and Sherlock's. Mrs Hudson pushed open the door and beckoned Scarlett and John in, Sherlock had already disappeared upstairs it seemed.

Scarlett stood in a small hall, four doors lead off of it, it was all painted in a sludgy green colour with a terrible floral print carpet that clashed horribly. The first door straight ahead of her was another glass panelled door, frosted but you could make out an old fashioned cream kitchen. To her left were two doors, Mrs Hudson stood in the doorway of one.

"Here we are dear, the spare room" she said holding the door open for Scarlett to see inside. She made her way in and dropped her suitcase at the foot of the double bed, John was not far behind her, and he too dropped her suitcase by the bed.

"Well I'll let you to get settled" said Mrs Hudson before shutting the door. John walked around the room, it was simple lilac walls and a large window that faced a garden Scarlett didn't know was there before. The silence licked at her paranoia, and slowly she reached out for John's hand as he past.

"Help me" she whispered as his eyes met hers, and the tears began to fall. For a second he didn't do anything he just stared at her, before finally he pulled Scarlett into a tight embrace. She rested her head on his shoulder and held on tight. She didn't want to be alone. She had read about cases like this in the paper and or seen them on the news and it never dawned on her how scared the victims were, till now.

"I don't want to die" Scarlett said choking on her tears, it sounded pathetic but she didn't know how else to voice her fears.

"You're not going to, Sherlock will work it out, we will save you" he said quietly his warm breath moved her hair slightly.

"Thank you" she said before pulling away and wiping her eyes.

"Go on, go help that nutter upstairs." Scarlett smiled weakly to him as he left, before stating to unpack. She got out Bruce's fold away basket and placed it on the floor next to the bed, and he immediately got in and shut his eyes. Once she was finished she sat down on the bed and shut her eyes.

"Calm Scarlett Calm" Scarlett said to yourself,

"You're going to be ok, everything is going to be ok" Scarlett said but the tears were already rolling down her cheeks, she felt numb. She had never been this scared, but the thing was that Scarlett knew she was helpless. Scarlett couldn't do anything; she just had to pray Sherlock would work it out before. Well she didn't even want to think about it.

Slowly she wiped her eyes, maybe she wasn't all that helpless, maybe she could help Sherlock just do something anything.

Scarlett made her way out the room, the door across the hall was open and she could see Mrs. Hudson watching the lottery, sitting forward in her seat, ticket in hand.

"I'm just going to see John and Sherlock" Scarlett called as she made her way to the front door.

"Ok dear" Mrs Hudson called though her eyes didn't move from the screen.

Scarlett shut it quietly behind herself, the hall was covered in darkness and her heart rate quicken. She didn't want to be in the dark any longer than necessary.

"This is pathetic" She growled to herself, she was acting like a child, but she couldn't help it every little noise frightened her.

Scarlett made her way to the foot of the stairs, it was dark out now, but the light from a streetlamp outside cast a ray over the stairs.

Suddenly Scarlett felt someone else's presence. The stairs creaked as someone made their way down; involuntarily she let out squealed as they jumped the last two and landed with a thump.

"Scarlett?" came a voice and then she was blinded by light. John stood there looking at her very strangely, as he pulled at the collar of his coat.

"John!" Scarlett said relived to see him.

"Are you ok" he asked stepping towards her.

"Yeah, you just made me jump" Scarlett laughed though she felt rather embarrassed

"Where are you going?" Scarlett asked realising he was on his way out.

"Got a date" John grinned,

'_How could he be so happy when you could be killed any minute, he's supposed to be you friend' _screamed a voice in her head but she shook it away.

"Well have fun, I'm just gonna go see if I can help Sherlock" Scarlett said smiling weakly

"Oh right well, Good luck" He laughed and Scarlett joined in.

"See you later, have a good time" Scarlett said making her way up the stairs

"Will do" Scarlett heard the front door slam as she reached Sherlock and John's flat.

The door was open slightly and the light from inside cast down the stairs to meet the light that was now coming from the hall.

"Hello" Scarlett called as she pushed the door open and peered inside, Sherlock lay on the sofa perfectly still, his eyes shut. One of his shirt sleeves was rolled up to reveal three nicotine patches. For a second she thought he was asleep before one of his eyes opened and he glared at her. It shut again and he spoke in a deep voice, one she could tell he had not used for hours, from the scratchiness of it.

"Come in then"

Scarlett did as he said and sat across from him the fire lay smouldering, it had burnt out. Suddenly and without warning Sherlock sat up quickly. He stood and walked over to the seat opposite her. He leant forward and rested his elbows on his knees his hands meeting in a praying like stance, under his chin. His blue orbs flicked over her quickly before his eyes rested on her own. He stayed like that for at least ten minutes his eyes searching Scarlett's eyes for something.

Scarlett fidgeted uncomfortably as his stare seem to bore into her, his blue eyes tearing her apart, piece by piece.

"What?" Scarlett said finally after what seemed like an eternity

"I was looking for something that connected you to the other two women" he said simply his eyes still starring

"My Job, we were all glamour models" Scarlett said simply feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Yes that's obvious but it's something else something more" he said, standing up quickly and he began to pace the room.

"Where did you go to school" he asked

"St Olmens" Scarlett said simply

"No Match" he said his eyes flicking to the wall above the fireplace that was covered in papers and photographs.

"Where did you go to colleague?"

"North West London"

"No Match"

This continued for twenty minutes, until finally the questions stop. Sherlock continued to pace, then suddenly his face lit up. Scarlett didn't know why but it made her smile his face was full of excitement, full of happiness.

"It so simple" he spoke loudly making his way to the fireplace, he looked over the photos. Before bounding over to Scarlett, he knelt in front of her and cupped her face with his hands, again for a second she thought he was going to kiss her. Then he stood, he laughed a single HA. Before he sat down his face full of accomplishment

"What, what's so simple" Scarlett asked confused. He looked at her as though she had just dribbled down her front.

"Your eyes" he said as though it was the simplest thing in the world. Scarlett just stared at him, she didn't dare ask.

"You all have green eyes"

**Thanks for reading, please review. **


	7. Chapter 7: Your Eyes

**Chapter 7: Your Eyes (Give you away)**

"My eyes?" Scarlet said astonished.

"Why so simple". Sherlock didn't seem to hear her as he starred at the photos on the wall above the fireplace.

"Of course" he shouted suddenly turning to Scarlett again "your eyes not theirs yours" he was looking at her like a kid in a sweet shop.

"What do you mean, my eyes not theirs" Scarlett said standing up, Sherlock's excitement just seemed to panic her. There was that face again Scarlett hated when he looked at her like she was a complete idiot.

"It was nothing to do with them it was all about you, always you" he said pointing to the photo on the wall.

"There" he said stabbing one of the photos with his finger. "I don't know why I didn't notice before" he said shaking his head so his curly black mop flew in all directions.

Scarlet walked over to him to see what he was pointing at, she had never really taken a proper look at any of these, but there in small print at the bottom right corner of the photo was the name of the photographer: _'Oliver Monroe'_.

"But that's my brother's name" Scarlett said slowly taking a step back.

"Yes don't you see, this was to get your attention but when you didn't notice he told the police instead so they would bring it to your attention, He wants to scare you" said Sherlock glee in his eyes.

"Who's Clio" he said suddenly

"Urr Clio was my real mum" Scarlett said slightly taken aback but the sudden change in conversation.

"He uses her name here so he must know you... really well" Sherlock said absentmindedly pointing to the other photo, of the girl posing naked.

Scarlett slumped down in the chair, her head in your hands. The tears fell slowly rolling down her cheeks. She didn't want to let Sherlock see her cry so she stayed silent so as not to draw his attention. The tears splashed onto her jogging bottoms leaving two small wet marks there.

"Why are you crying" Sherlock asked, Scarlett heard him sit down in the chair opposite her own.

"Oh come on you're supposed to be good at this stuff. The great detective and all. Can't you work it out?" Scarlett said looking up at him, the tears still falling.

"You are crying because you're scared" he said simply, she returned her head to her hands, not bothering to answer Sherlock. Scarlett felt it was more of a statement than a question.

"I'm sorry if I have upset you" he said. There it was emotion, she could hear it in his voice regret, Sherlock really was sorry. Scarlett looked up at him, his face was the same as always but his eyes gave him away, they were soft and the ice there was melting away, to reveal a scarred little boy. It made him beautiful the simple emotion made Sherlock even more beautiful than he already was.

"You didn't upset me Sherlock, I prefer that you told me than keep it a secret" Scarlett said looking at him fully now, a small smile on her face as she wiped away the tears. For a moment there was silence, they just sat looking at each other. Then as though he had only just realised he looked away, when he looked back his eyes were cold and empty, the wall was back.

The silence continued and Sherlock began to stare at Scarlett again, she didn't mind this time she knew anything Sherlock could work out would save her life.

"Can I help?" Scarlett said when Sherlock finally looked away his eyes reverting to the ceiling.

"Yes, tell me everything you know" he said standing up and beginning to pace again.

"About what?" She asked

"Work, Family, Friends, Lovers, your life everything" he said his hands pressed together as he paced a look of deep concentration on his face.

Scarlett did as he had asked for hours she told Sherlock everything, about her life, friends, family and even things she didn't tell her best friend. She just wanted to help; she didn't want to feel so useless.

"Wait, go back to the love letters" he said after three hours of her talking and him pacing, for a while she thought he might not have even been listening anymore.

"Well about three years ago, I started getting all these love letters, it started on Valentine's Day. But then I would get one every week for 4 months after that. They were always sighed anonymously" Scarlett said thinking back to it.

"When did you start modelling" asked Sherlock

"About 3 years ago" Scarlett said with a gasp "Does that mean that this guy who's after me is the same one who wrote me all those love letters" she said, Sherlock stopped pacing and looked at her.

"Can I look at them" he asked, "Actually bring the whole box there might be some other clues in there"

Scarlett didn't bother to ask how he knew she had kept them and that they were now downstairs in a shoes box with other prize possessions.

"Yes" Scarlett said standing up "I'll just go get them" Scarlett made her way to the door.

"And don't go anywhere" She told the detective she knew all about his disappearing acts and did not want to come back to find him gone, lord knows she didn't want to be alone right now.

Sherlock was starring at the photographs when Scarlett returned with her shoe box.

"Where should I put it" She asked shutting the door behind her.

"On the coffee table will be fine" he said turning to her now.

Scarlett did as he had asked and placed the box down carefully on the table, the word "Scarlett" was written neatly on the top. Sherlock pulled the lid off and place it on the table, he sifted though the items. Photo's of holidays, her parents and other family, Bruce as a puppy, Christmases. Her first ever front page fully clothed this time. They all seemed like meaningless things but to Scarlett they were everything.

"How did you get this" said Sherlock holding up a small piece of card, The words: Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective, 221b Baker Street and a number were printed neatly on the card, on the back in pen was another number, John's was scrawled messily over it.

"John gave it to me so I would have his number" Scarlett said simply.

"Why did you keep it" he asked looking at her his eyes seemed to burn into her own.

"So I would have the number" she said simply.

"No this is a box of your most prized possessions, a number you would save it on your phone, or put it in your purse not in your box" he said slowly his eyes searching. Scarlett blushed furiously, she wasn't quite sure why she had kept it, it was silly really. Scarlett had just got this feeling about Sherlock and for some reason it made her want to keep his card just because it had his name on it.

"I don't know, maybe I just got muddled up in the move" Scarlett said looking away her cheeks hot with colour, ok so maybe she had a little crush on Sherlock. But so what that was normal right, He was good looking that was true but he was a sociopath, and was completely emotionless. So it was a dead end but you can't kill a girl for trying.

He didn't question any further and she was pretty sure he knew how she felt, but she was glad that he had left it there. She watched as he pulled out the pile of 17 love letters, held together with a thin pink ribbon.

"Does the number 17 mean anything to you?" he asked

"Urr not really my birthday is the seventeenth of April" Scarlett said trying to make the number fit.

"April?" he said, she simply nodded "He sent you these over the course of 4 months and the first on Valentine's Day. Four months the fourth month April" he said slowly to himself.

He pulled the ribbon off and carefully inspected each letter, reading it twice. There was silence while Sherlock read his blue eyes darting across the page.

"The writing doesn't match but it's not a far cry from J-T-R , he could be trying to conceal his identity somewhat now"

Sherlock continued like this for hours, slowly Scarlett's eyes began to droop, she desperately tried to stay awake but slowly sleep consumed her. What only felt like ten minutes later she woke, a large blanket was thrown over her curled body. Sherlock now sat opposite her, staring into the fire which was not lit.

"Thank you" Scarlett muttered weakly he didn't seem to hear her, his eyes fixed to the burning wood.

It was only when she stood did Sherlock look up,

"Where are you going" he cried, there it was the mask had fallen and Scarlett could see true want in Sherlock's eyes.

"I'm tired I was going to go to bed" She said to him smiling weakly as she folded up the blanket and placed it on the chair she had been resting on.

"You could stay here" he suggested the ice was almost completely melted away and she blushed Sherlock was very good looking.

"Do you want me to stay" Scarlett asked, she had pushed it too far she watched as his eyes froze over.

"I do not need you to stay" he said bluntly, standing up.

"Do you mind if I keep these a while" he said holding up the love letters

"Do what you want with them, If they are from that murderer then I want nothing to do with them" Scarlett said her voice bitter and snarl on her lips.

He placed the letters on the mantel piece the ribbon along with them, Scarlett made her way to the door.

"Goodnight Sherlock" she said as she made her way out, he did not look at her or responded. Scarlett had made it to the beginning of the stairs when she decided to turn back.

"You know, you may think your good at hiding, that your little mask will save you, but you eyes give you away. I think I saw the real you tonight, once or twice. You let your guard down, Why?" Scarlett questioned, it had been niggling at her all night. He had worked so hard to build up this front, but he had known Scarlett less than a week and it was already coming down. John said he was emotionless, so obviously the ice was there with John, so why her. What was so different about her?

"How could you tell" said Sherlock not looking at Scarlett.

"No one can lie to me, I see through them, even yours" She said simply, it was true at University her friends had nicknamed her the human lie detector, she didn't know how she could tell but she almost always could tell if someone was lying, or in Sherlock's case that he wasn't as emotionless as John thought.

She bit her lip as the excitement flowed through her, Scarlett wasn't sure why, but there really was something about Sherlock that made him different.

"You did that in you photos, bite your lip" he said completely bypassing her question.

Scarlett looked at him, then she realised he was right, but that meant he must have looked through the Playboy magazine.

"You look through that Playboy" Scarlett said grinning at him

His face stayed emotionless, but once again his eyes gave him away as they filled with panic, Scarlett could almost see the cogs rotating around in that big brain, desperately trying to dig himself out.

"Do you do it out of fear or is it a mask" he asked again avoiding what Scarlett had just said.

She loved watching him squirm, it was strangely enjoyable. Making that big brain seem almost completely useless.

"More exhilaration really" Scarlett said seductively closing the distance between them completely, so they were almost touching. He was at least a head taller than her so she had to look up at him somewhat. Scarlett grinned seductively at him, he looked down at her and for a second she panicked as she saw an animal in his eyes. He moved away quickly to the fire place, he stared into the fire, his back to her.

"Weren't you going to bed" he said simply, it wasn't rude or angry but as though he was confused.

"Yes, I'll see you morning I guess" Scarlett said walking out the flat without another word. She had seen a monster in his eyes and Scarlett wasn't sure what it meant.

Scarlett lay on her bed starring up at the ceiling, she could hear Sherlock moving around, the present threat of death was no longer the main thing it her mind. In a way she was glad of that, glad that she no longer felt useless. Scarlett was still scared of course she was, but right at this moment the main thing on her mind was the man in the room above.

His eyes seemed to haunt her, but most of all it was the things she had seen there, there was a true animal in his eyes, but that wasn't what scared her, it was the fact that it attracted Scarlett to him even more. Something about Sherlock exhilarated her, he was so mysterious and for some reason she just couldn't leave him alone.

**Please review and tell me what you think, all comments are welcome :D**


	8. Chapter 8: You Can't Hide

**Chapter 8: You Can't Hide **

The next morning Scarlett woke at 9 and had breakfast with Mrs Hudson chatting on and on about someone called June who was married to Ted and had a son called Shaun and Shaun had bunked school and blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Eventually at 10 she managed to excuse herself from Mrs Hudson's dining room and went to get ready, she hadn't really listened to a word she had said simply nodded at the right points. Her mind was swimming with everything else. Questions she had no answers to, flooded her brain as she got ready for the day. Who _is the killer, how does he know me, what makes me so special_. Suddenly with the presence of that question came another set of all together different ones. _Why did Sherlock let his guard down?_

After getting ready she put Bruce on his lead and led him to the front door, before her hand had even touched the handle a voice broke the quiet.

"Where are you going?"

"To take Bruce for a walk" Scarlett said turning around to see Sherlock fully dressed standing at the top of the stairs.

"Not alone, John will go with you" he said slowly, his face was cold and his eyes empty again.

"John!" he called loudly looking back towards the door,

"What now Sherlock" John asked annoyance in his voice as he appeared on the landing,

"You will accompany Scarlett while she exercises her pet" said Sherlock clearly.

"What?" asked John confused he looked like he had only just woken up? But Sherlock did not answer him but simply strode past him and back into the flat. John shook his head slowly before looking down at Scarlett.

"I'll be with you in a minute, I'll just get my coat" he said slowly before disappearing back into the flat.

Bruce wined as Scarlett waited for John, the dog was anxious to leave.

"Hey" said John finally as he made his way down the stairs his coat on and his hair less messy.

"Ready" Scarlett asked, he simply nodded and they made there way out together. At first there was silence, and then Scarlett spoke.

"Sherlock is a weird man" she said slowly after 15 minutes of silence. John simply laughed at first.

"What's makes you say that, I mean other than the fact, the man is raving lunatic" he said slightly sarcastically, Scarlett decided against telling John, if he didn't see Sherlock open up then maybe Sherlock didn't want him to know and Scarlett honoured that.

"No reason really" she laughed along.

When John and Scarlett arrived back to the flat, Sherlock was sitting in his chair staring at the pictures again. Bruce had returned to Scarlett's room.

She sat down looking up at the mutilated pictures of girls she had vaguely known.

"Any news" Scarlett said in a vague attempt to enter conversation, Sherlock merely shrugged.

* * *

For two days after this nothing happened, nothing even changed. Other than the fact that Sherlock would run out the house like an excited child Scarlett would have thought that he had given up.

She had gone back to her usual life, well as much as possible, she was escorted everywhere by either John or one of her trusted friends, Sherlock had questioned them all before she was allowed out with them and every day when she returned to 221b Baker Street, Sherlock would question her on every tiny detail of her day.

The man was starting to become more than a little irritating.

"Just some friends" Scarlett shouted for the fifth time that night "god you sound like my mother" Scarlett moaned as she dumped her bag on the sofa.

"What friends" said Sherlock again his voice strong.

"What does it matter you wouldn't know them anyway, and I was with the trusted friend. Rachel was there!" Scarlett said angrily.

"Well encase you forgot there is a man out there trying to kill you" said Sherlock.

"You are kidding me aren't you, of course I haven't forgotten it's the only thing I think about these days and if it wasn't for the fact that I go out, I think I would have gone mad by now" Scarlett said grabbing her things and heading towards her room.

After a few minutes there was a quiet tap on the door and voice called in. "Are you ok?" came John's silent tones.

"I'm fine, you can come in" Scarlett answered from her spot on her bed.

He pushed the door open slowly and Bruce looked up before deciding he was allowed in and laying his head back down.

"I know he can be annoying sometimes but he is trying to help" said John as he sat on the end of her bed.

"I know, it just gets to you after a while, I mean there is a guy out there planning on killing me and you know the worst thing ... the waiting" Scarlett shook your head "It's been 5 days since we got those bloody letters, and not a word"

"I'm waiting for a man to kill me, just waiting. Trying to carry on but that information looms over me everywhere I go, sometimes I wish Sherlock hadn't found out, sometimes I wish I never knew, coz then I wouldn't fear every movement, then I could at least live properly until I died rather than this hollow shell. I don't even feel like me anymore"

"I know it's hard Scarlett but trust me we are doing everything we can, I promise nothing will happen to you" said John as he touched her shoulder softly, Scarlett smiled weakly but were interrupted when the door bell rang. Bruce immediately started barking and Scarlett shush him quickly. John and Scarlett made their way to the door, Sherlock stood at the top of the stairs as John pulled the door open. Inspector Lestarde stood outside his face showing a look of sadness or rather worry.

There was silence as they all sat round in Sherlock and Johns flat and Lestarde sat down, he pulled a brown envelope from his pocket and handed it to Sherlock who stood in the middle of the room looking at the older man expectantly. "It's another letter from J-T-R" he sighed his eyes darting to Scarlett.

"Read it out loud" Scarlett requested her voice far stronger than she felt. Sherlock ripped open the envelope and unfolded the paper from within. "Why are you hiding my love?" Sherlock began his voice slow "She is mine and I will find her. I expected better from you, I expected you to understand what I could do to you all. Do not think that that floppy headed detective can protect her, he cannot. Tut tut tut" Sherlock then held up the page a three photographs were once again stuck to the page, this time they were not of a gruesome scene but none the less it made Scarlett's stomach turn the were of her out and about. All the photos were in black and white as though taken from CCTV footage, The first was of Scarlett and John at lunch the other day taken from a distance but well enough that you could see each person's face. The second was of Scarlett, John and Sherlock walking across the road from Scarlett's flat both Scarlett and John were holding boxes as well as tied around Scarlett wrist was a lead for the large dog walking beside her. But the last photo was the worst of all it was a photo of Scarlett answering the door the number 221B was clearly visible on the door.

"This is just shoddy" was written underneath, and silence filled the room, he had found her.


	9. Chapter 9: Hide and Seek

**Please Review ( I own nothing but Scarlett and the sorry line) **

**Chapter 9: Hide and Seek **

There was silence for sometime after that.

"Do I have to move then" Scarlett said in barely more than a whisper.

"No No, we aren't going anywhere" Sherlock said defiantly

"Sherlock I really think that you should move to a safer location ... Think of Scarlett" Lestarde reasoned

"I am, she is all I've been thinking about these last few days" cried Sherlock at the older detective, Scarlett looked at him and he look back his eyes soft and there was something there his pupils dilated, it was attraction.

"Besides he will simply find us again there will be no point" Sherlock began again no one else seemed to have notice the small moment between Scarlett and the man now pacing the room once more.

"Just place another officer at the door. I know they won't be much use if he actually decides to turn up but maybe their presence will deter him a little, but I will not play an idiotic game of hide and seek simply because he has spooked you, I will not risk Scarlett life with a such and unnecessary act" Sherlock said turning to Lestarde, the older man looked as though he was going to argue his mouth open like a drowning fish, but John simply shook his head and Lestrade's mouth closed in defeat.

The strange silence Scarlett was still not used to, settled over the room again, then Lestarde stood. "Right I'll place another officer on the door then, they will be here within the hour. Watch out..." but the rest of his sentence was cut short

"Yeah yeah, I think we know" said Sherlock shaking his head and looking very bored. "Right then I'll be off" said Lestarde rolling his eye at the consulting detective.

Soon after Lestarde left the room fell once again in to that looming state of silence.

"You are gonna solve this before I get..." Scarlett's sentence seem to die away in her throat before it even reached her lips.

"Yes of course we are" said John quickly though his voice shook and he looked to Sherlock which made Scarlett even more nervous. Sherlock was once again staring at the collage of photographs and notes that were stuck to the mirror above the fire.

"Right Sherlock" said John staring at the tall man for some back up and Scarlett seem to try and disappear.

"You cannot say that for sure, John, but I have not yet been beaten and I do not expect to be this time". Sherlock did not turn around as he spoke his eyes staring fixed to the collage.

Scarlett sighed heavily she no longer felt fear but a strange numbness seemed to consume her whole body. Scarlett stood up and Sherlock turned around so quickly she froze to the spot.

"You mustn't go out anymore not unless it's absolutely necessary, like work or the hospital that is all and me or John will accompany you, no one else only us" he said standing so close his breathe brushed at Scarlett's hair.

"Well I have a photo shoot tomorrow at 1PM" Scarlett said slowly "Should I call and say I can't make it or that I'm sick or something."

"No, No need, John will accompany you" Sherlock said turning back towards the photos on the wall.

"No John won't, John has to go to the clinic tomorrow" said John, he shot Scarlett an apologetic look before he turned his gaze back to Sherlock.

"Then I will go, you cannot allow J-T-R to imprison you here, he cannot know you are scared" said Sherlock without turning around.

* * *

So that is how Scarlett ended up having Sherlock Holmes see her naked.

The rest of the day faded away in the same way every other day had since Scarlett had come to stay at 221B Baker street. It had been 5 days since you had moved here and the days seemed to all fade into a melody of fear and intrigue.

In this short time Scarlett's relationship with Sherlock seemed to have developed into a strange and confusing collection of shouting, comfort and a feeling which she could only describe as lust. Scarlett was pretty sure these feelings were mutual, it was rare people could keep things of that nature from her. As she lay on the sofa that night watching the floppy haired detective pace in front of her, she began to think.

"Why me" Scarlett asked herself not really expecting an answer from the man pacing in front of her.

"Because you are something special to him, I don't yet know why but it is probably because you are highly attractive" then there was a pause in his sentence and he stopped in his tracks "Beautiful really" he then turned and looked at her the mask was down and his eyes seemed to glisten with an unknown emotion.

"Thank you" Scarlett breathed sitting up fully. "It's true you know" he said kneeling in front of her, she almost didn't recognise him when he was this open.

"You are a highly curious person" said Sherlock crouching in front of her so his eye line met her own perfectly.

"I've never met anyone who left me wondering, you are hiding something and I don't know what it is, no one has ever been able to hide anything from me" Scarlett blinked at him a little confused as to what to say.

"You know it's ok to be scared it is very logical, you are far more intelligent than I first thought. You're are a real living puzzle and I'm rather enjoying it." He said and a strange grin spread across his face. His hands now rested on Scarlett's upper thighs. The animal had returned in his eyes and she felt a yearning for him.

His smile spread as he saw her squirm slightly under his gaze. This was defiantly a different side of Sherlock Scarlett had not seen before. His face edged closer to hers till his lips were mere inches from Scarlett's own and his eyes had become a blur in her vision.

"Do you hate the men who lust for you, just for your looks and your body" he asked as his own eyes flicked down to Scarlett's chest.

"Not always" Scarlett said simply trying to hide the excitement that was building inside of her at the closeness of him. "I don't" he said shaking his head slightly.

"You don't what" she enquired "I don't like you for your body" he said, and she felt her heart drop in a huge anti-climax. "I like you for your mind, you've got something in there hiding from me" he said tapping her forehead, and she smiled. "Not that I don't appreciate" his eyes flicked over Scarlett's body again but this time his eyes lingered a little longer this time.

Scarlett felt the tension between their two quivering bodies grow to an agonising point till she could take it no longer and lent forward to kiss him. He lent back away from her grinning he was toying with her and Scarlett scowled at him, he pulled a fake sad face and lent forward to kiss her, grinning like he did when he just solved a case.

At first his lips grazed hers as though a new nervousness had come over him. She leaned forward placing her own hands over his that still sat on her thighs. Suddenly he was kissing Scarlett back hungrily. His hand reached up and pushed at her chest before his hands began to massage her breast through her shirts. Slowly he crawled on top of her, so she was laying down on her back staring up at him. Both of their breathing was staggered and fast, one hand rubbed her breast while the other ran up and down her inner thigh, his hand collided with her through her jeans and she involuntary bucked underneath him causing him to smile into the kiss which was getting more heated by the second.

Scarlett could feel him pushing against her through his trousers. Scarlett reached a hand down and ran a hand over him through his trousers causing him to growl deep in his throat. He began to lift her top up rubbing the hand that was on her breast on her bare stomach and up towards her bra. Which he unclipped quickly and then rubbed his cold fingers along her erected nipples. She moaned into the kiss before he pulled away and began kissing down her neck and along her collar bone.

The sound of the front door down stairs slamming shut awoke her from her lusty haze and she heard John's voice murmur something, but Sherlock's kissing did not stop he was now nipping lightly along Scarlett's collarbone.

"Sherlock" she breathed.

"Yes beautiful" he murmured.

"Stop" She said through every part of her body was telling him to continue. He stopped kissing her and looked down at her puzzled.

"John" Scarlett whispered and he leaped up. He strode a few steps away from her before his mask returned and the look in his eyes slammed shut. He returned his gaze to the photo's on the wall as Scarlett slowly sat up ,pulled on her top and straightened her hair.

John entered the room looking around "Date go well then" Scarlett asked "Yeah, really well actually" He said throwing his coat over the back of the sofa and making his way into the kitchen.

He got himself a glass of water before heading back out and upstairs to bed with a simply call of "Night"

"If John hadn't come home then, what would have happened between us" Scarlett asked she was sure of the answer but wanted to hear Sherlock say it, the consulting detective stopped in his tracks.

"I ... I probably would of had sex with you. It was a moment of weakness on my part, it seems to come out when we are alone, I'm sorry" he said simply Scarlett could see the cogs behind his eyes whirling.

Deciding she had got the answer she had expected, she bypassed the conversation.

"Want tea" She asked standing up. Sherlock seemed to relax at the change in conversation.

"Coffee" he said quietly looking back up to the photo's once more.

As Scarlett waited for the kettle to boil Scarlett starred at Sherlock and wondered how long she would play hide and seek with this mask of his and if she would ever see the so called "Weaker" part of him again.


	10. Chapter 10: The Shoot

**Chapter 10: The Shoot**

As Scarlett entered the studio that morning, with Sherlock following behind her, his eyes scanning every person they met.

"Who's that man?" Sherlock whispered hurriedly into Scarlett's ear.

Scarlett looked over to who Sherlock had been speaking about "Umm that the director" she said Sherlock had been questioning her on every person they had walked past.

"Do you really think the killer would be here" She asked him in full seriousness.

"Maybe" he said simply.

"Scarlett! To make-up please and if your boyfriend wants to wait he'll have to wait here" called the director when he saw Scarlett before rushing off towards make-up.

"I think he meant you, just sit there I'll be back in a bit" Scarlett said leaving the detective in front of the set. He took a seat and waited.

Scarlett tried not to look at him as she arrived on set hair and make-up done and clad only in a robe. On the set was a box covered in a black sheet. Kneeling down behind the box Scarlett pulled her robe off and leant her arms on the box resting her head on her hand, she crossed he arms across her chest.

Scarlett looked up at the camera, the shoot began and she dared a look at Sherlock who was staring intently at the photographer. Scarlett sighed and looked back to the camera, by 3 the shoot was over and Scarlett was heading home with Sherlock.

In the taxi he turned to her. "Who was the photographer" he asked

"Dunno his name seen him around though" Scarlett answered playing with her now curled hair.

"A lot" he asked

"No more than any other photographer" she replied. He didn't speak again simply staring out the window.

When they got back John was still out.

"Why do you do a job you hate" Sherlock asked as Scarlett sat down in his flat.

"Oh I dunno, I didn't hate it when I was young and stupid, I thought it was fun. I like being seen as something beautiful, I believed my hype and it made me a monster, I was proud and mean. I would control men with empty flirts to get what I wanted. I hate it because it made me that monster and it does it to others too, then we all get tarred with the 'stupid slut' brush and you lose your identity to your looks, to an image" Scarlett said after a long pause, finally staring up at him.

"If you want to be seen as something else why don't you quit" he said

"Because I need the money and plus I have no idea what else I could do." Scarlett answered truthfully.

"Really how can you be so uninspiring" he said bluntly

"I would of thought a death threat would have brought this to light, to change, do what you want" he said and he stared up at the photos again. There was a moment of silence before Scarlett spoke.

"You know what your right" Scarlett jumped to her feet "Thank you" She grabbed him by the shoulders and turn him to her, standing on tip toes she slammed her lips to his, at first he didn't move then grabbing Scarlett by her arms he pushed her away holding her tightly at arm's length.

"What are you doing?" he said his eyes wide with shock.

"I'm doing what I want, and I want you! I'm not gonna lie anymore Sherlock, your amazing I thought you were the moment I meet you, you're stupidly good looking and you're so ridiculous sometimes you make me so mad, I just wanna strangle you, but then you do something and you make me melt or you make me hot, like really hot" his hold loosened and Scarlett stepped closer.

"I think you're the most unique person I've ever met" she said with a sighed that was brilliant she hadn't realised how much she had wanted that off your chest and if she was gonna die at least she got one last kiss from Sherlock first. Scarlett removed his hands from her person and left the room leaving Sherlock in a state of shock.

* * *

Later that day another letter from J-T-R was received, he had killed again dressing the corpse up in clothes similar to ones Scarlett had worn for her shoots. The stress was getting to Scarlett and she was becoming more and more irritable.

Neither John nor Sherlock seemed to mind her foul mood and disastrous mood swings of seemly uncaring to a crying wreck. The latter of the pair had been acting very strange lately, well stranger than normal.

He hardly spoke to Scarlett at all but she would catch him staring at her over dinner and such, he seemed frustrated by his own thoughts at times often shouting at himself to shut up.

That night Scarlett help Sherlock as much as she could, sometimes Scarlett wished this guy would just hurry up and kill her, she had been here nearing a week now and she wasn't sure how much longer she could take it. By 1 am she retired to bed for another fitful night, leaving the detective passing.


	11. Chapter 11: I'm Coming To Get You

**Chapter 11- I'm coming to get you**

After only around a 1 or so of proper sleep, Scarlett got up, dressed and went straight up stairs to find Sherlock already awake his violin in hand, after an hour of silence, Mrs Hudson came up with tea, she smile at the two of them before she left. John was working that day so the house was very silent as the two black hair occupants thought.

Sherlock had taken to pacing again and Scarlett just stared up at the photo, as though some kind of answer would break forth from the collage of writing and photo's.

Around 12 the silence was broken. "This came dear a policemen just delivered it" said Mrs Hudson's voice Sherlock turned to her and took the envelope from her, ripping it open he starred at the picture before him the word underneath were "Come to me or another imposter will die".

"Is that another one from him" Scarlett asked and Sherlock merely nodded.

"Can I see?" she asked slowly, Scarlett was surprised when he motioned her nearer, but did as he asked. Scarlett stood in front of Sherlock and he slowly handed her the note. There were no pictures just words written in a love heart.

'_I'm coming to get you.'_

Scarlett handed the note back to Sherlock and sat heavily on the chair beside him, Mrs Hudson rushed to her side and knelt in front of her.

"It's ok dear" she cooed looking up into Scarlett's face.

"No Mrs Hudson it is not" Scarlett cried looking into the older woman's eyes.

When John arrived home Scarlett sat in his chair staring into an unlit fire, her hair was falling into her face but she didn't seem to care.

John caught Sherlock's eye who simply motioned to the note on the table, John read it before he sighed a heavy breath and shook his head. He didn't know what to say anymore.

* * *

They sat in that silence until dinner was over. Scarlett sat down in front of the fire, on the floor. He head in her hands. A sudden boom sounded from down stairs as the door was flung open, Sherlock rushed to the window.

"The police officers, they're dead" said Sherlock

The booming bark of Scarlett's Great Dane was the only noise in the other wise quiet flat, Bruce having been locked in by Mrs Hudson when she had gone out to bingo, earlier that night.

"He's here" Scarlett said in a whisper, her green eyes stared up at the detective, as the lights went out.

"Nobody move" said Sherlock calmly through the darkness, he could hear Scarlett's shallow breaths in front of him.

"I'm coming my love I'm coming" called a voice from down stairs. It was high pitched and stunk of insanity.

Scarlett listened as she heard the stairs creek with the weight of the person now coming up them. Backing up slightly she let out a gasp as she hit something solid, peering over her shoulder she could roughly make out Sherlock's face with the little light that was coming in through the window, from the streetlights below.

"We need to move now" Sherlock said quietly before grabbing her hand and leading her into the kitchen where John was. The three looked at each other as the stairs creaked again.

"Come on" said Sherlock as Scarlett seemed to freeze, he hand gripping his tightly, he made his way through the door next to the fridge, it lead to a corridor, in front of them was a door Scarlett had never entered and on the other wall was the bathroom. The tree stood in the corridor.

"What now?" said John to Sherlock.

"We need to call the police" said Sherlock

"I never thought I'd hear you say that, but we can't phone is dead, he much of cut the line and we have all just left our mobiles out there, where a murdering lunatic is now waiting" John whispered angrily at Sherlock.

"Come out come out, wherever you are" called the high voice again, it was almost childlike.

"Right John, I'll distract him, you get Scarlett out of here and get help" said Sherlock his mind working.

Suddenly he barged out of the door they had just entered through.

"Hey look I'm over here" shouted Sherlock loudly. Scarlett saw a figure turn and stare over at Sherlock but he did not move.

"You can't protect her, she isn't yours" said the man his pitch fluctuated at the end making him sound almost demonic.

"She isn't yours either" said Sherlock calmly.

"Not yet" the man replied. "Where is she?"

Sherlock didn't answer he didn't even move. The man raised a gun and pointed it to Sherlock.

"I know she is here" he said slowly.

The air seemed to be thick with anxiety as John move Scarlett, watched. He crept passed the man unseen in the darkness. Creeping up behind the man John looked to Sherlock and suddenly the man turned around and fired.

John let out a yell and he stumbled backward into the coffee table, where he fell, he did not move again.

"John" cried Scarlett as she rushed out of her hiding place forgetting for a second why she was there.

"I'm sorry my love" said the man turning to her, Sherlock stepped in front of her, so as to protect her.

The man's face was covered with a hooded top and stopped in his tracks, a cruel laugh escaped his lips.

"I said she isn't YOURS" he screamed at Sherlock, he leapt at him and two began to fight the gun, lost to the side. Scarlett ran and collected it, she aimed the gun but her hands were shaking and Sherlock and J-T-R were moving too much, she could hit Sherlock.

After a while the man won out, he had Sherlock by the throat knife in hand, Sherlock panted as he lay still, the man holding the knife to his throat.

Scarlett pointed the gun at the man and took a deep breath.

"Let him go or I'll shoot you" she said her voice shaking.

"Do you really think you can pull the trigger faster than I can slit his throat my love, even if you kill me, your beloved detective will die to. He's not good enough for you anyway". He spoke slowly and Scarlett held the gun out her hands shaking again.

"Shoot him" said Sherlock to her

"Shut it lover boy" Said the man and he push the knife in harder, Scarlett let out a squeal.

"Drop the gun, my love and no one gets hurt. Drop the gun and me and you can go have a nice dinner together and Sherlock here won't die" He spoke like a father to a young child.

Scarlett's feelings for Sherlock were overruling any logic she had left as she lowered the gun. The man held out his hand and she reluctantly passed him the gun. He let go of Sherlock but before the detective had a chance, the butt of the gun collided with his head, knocking him out.

"Sherlock" Scarlett cried, but suddenly the man was moving towards her, backing away she let out a blood curdling scream, but it was too late as the syringe had been emptied into her neck, she felt her legs go weak, falling to the ground. The man scooped her up and flung her over his shoulder, she tried to struggle but as the drug took effect she was becoming weaker by the second, by the time the man had carried her to the stairs she was unconscious lulling around like a rag doll.


	12. Chapter 12: Taken

**Chapter 12: Taken**

When Sherlock awoke it was still dark out, his head pounded as he move, stopping himself as the room spun. He looked around as his sense began to return to him, Scarlett was gone, John still face down on the coffee table, but as he looked, John began to stir.

"John" cried Sherlock as he ran to his friend, John sat up and looked to Sherlock holding his shoulder.

"He got me in the shoulder" said John, "Shoot twice in the same shoulder" said John with a laugh.

"Where's Scarlett" he asked only just noticing the black haired woman was nowhere to be seen.

"He took her John, knocked me out and took her" Sherlock said as he sat heavily.

His face was the picture of sorrow, John had never seen Sherlock like this, he looked like he was going to cry.

"You really care about her" said John slowly looking at the detective, who's face had pale and he looked slightly vacant.

"Of course I do" Sherlock said shaking his head, his voice slow and sad.

"Well, then come on we need to find her" said John, before he stood grabbing a scarf Scarlett had left there earlier he wrapped it tightly around his shoulder.

Sherlock had already rushed out the door, his mobile in hand, by the time John was ready. Without a word John followed after him.

Lestarde got to the house only minutes after Sherlock had called him, the ambulance had taken away the bodies of the offices, and had treated John's wound as best that they could, it wasn't as bad as it looked, but they still tried to convince him to go to hospital, but John was having none of it.

"So any ideas" said John

Lestarde simply shook his head "Sorry we lost the car as it rounded a corner on the main road"

"That's not good enough" shouted Sherlock viciously at the older detective, who recoiled at the sudden noise.

"I need to think" said Sherlock holding his hands to his eyes. He began to mutter to himself, "I can't do it" he shouted again shaking his head. "J-T-R never left any clues as to where he would take, just threats that he would"

* * *

When Scarlett woke, she tried to move but the drug still had effect on her and her head lulled pathetically, and she tried to focus her vision.

She sat on a wooden chair, he leg and arm bound to it. She looked around; in front of her on a mount was a video camera, it looked expensive, top of the range.

Behind her was a window but a set of vertical blinds cover her view of the outside world. The rest of the room was empty save from a small wooden stool next to her and a long wooden table on the wall to her left, it was blood stained. Scarlett grimaced as she remembered the picture of those decapitated heads. The wall looked like they had smoke damage, and the wall paper was burnt away in places and large black areas near the floor could be seen.

The air was thick with a smell of burnt plastic and wood, she must have been in a burnt out house. There was only one door into the room. There was no light and Scarlett sat in near darkness the only light was coming from the streetlight outside the window. The man was nowhere to be seen, Scarlett pulled at her bonds but they were too tight and she was too weak.

Her head lulled and looked for a way out, but found none, she wished she was like Sherlock able to see things like he did. That would really be useful right now.

The door to the room was pushed open.

"Hello my love" he cooed, she turned her head to look. He held a lit candle in his hand. She could see his face now. He wore a look of pride, his hair was a dirty shade of blonde, with a long fringe swept to the side, clearly at some point a long time ago it had been cut into a style but now it was a long grown out mess. Scarlett wouldn't say he was attractive. He wasn't well built man but neither was he skinny, he was around 5,11, he had large dark circles under his eyes. His face was covered in stumble and as he grinned at her, she could she a yellow stain to his teeth, maybe he smoked.

She turned away from him and he let out a laugh.

"You don't recognize me do you poppet" he said

Scarlett looked him over again before she spoke.

"Should I?" her bravery only seemed to anger the man, his eyes wide, in three long strides he was at her side, he held her face tightly between his thumb and forefinger, so her cheeks protruded into the middle of her face, making her pout unattractively.

"Does the name Jovan Theo Riley mean anything to you" his voice was still high, and burnt at Scarlett's sense and she lulled in her drug induced system.

"Theo?" she asked as the image of a young blonde boy flash into her brain, Theo had been the photographer on many of her early shoots, when she had first started out as a model, years before the likes of Playboy. He had been smitten with her, but so had so many men back then, when she was still oblivious to their advances, far too caught up in her own hype.

She had never knew his first name, to be honest she hardly known of him at all, he was just the photographer, his face always hidden behind the camera. He was sweet, shy and clearly absolutely taken with Scarlett, but she hardly knew of his existence. He was neither attractive nor ugly he was just Theo boring and plain, he sunk into the background of Scarlett's world.

"That's me" he said laughing slightly.

"I send you all those love letters, and you never even looked at me twice" he said slowly letting go of her face.

"I thought that you were too good for me, I thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world, but soon I learnt I could have anything I wanted if I stop being quiet, if I shouted, if I waved a gun, people did as I said. Too long I have been trodden on and a push over, but not anymore. Now I have everything I want" he slowly stoked a hand over her face and she pulled away.

"I wouldn't fight my love, the drug is still in your system, your only tire yourself out"

Scarlett continues to pull at her bonds nonetheless. Suddenly his hand connected with her face and she let out a scream.

"Oh come now, i don't wanna hurt you, but you forced my hand" Theo said to Scarlett as he stroked the red area across her cheek, she looked up at him, eyes full of fire and she spat at his feet.

"Dirty girl" he said with a laugh.

"No how about some dinner"

Still bond to the chair and now gagged, Scarlett was moved to sit one side of the table, the candle now sat in the middle, she stared down at the blood stains in front of her and tried not to vomit, her head was beginning to sober up now. Theo entered with a glass of wine and some food, he placed it in front of her, and they began to play 'tea-party'.

He sat opposite her, as he ate and drank, talking to her as though she was answering.

"Oh I think you need a top up" he said with a yellow smile, her glass was still full and she looked at him questionably.

He rose from his chair, and removed a small bottle and syringe. He filled the syringe with the liquid and walked over to her, Scarlett screamed threw he gag and struggle in the chair, toppling it over, she now lay tied to the chair her back against the floor, she desperately kicked and pulled at her bonds, but to no prevail.

"oopsy daisy" he said as he righted the chair, and stuck the needle into her arm, as the drug entered her system she felt herself, lost track. Noises were numb and distant, her sight blurred in and out.

When she awoke, he was sitting in front of her staring at her face, so close she could feel his breath.

"I was thinking I might steal a kiss, but it's only our first date, what do you think" he said with that cruel smile again.

Slowly he removed her gag, he reached up a hand to stoke her and Scarlett leant forward and bit him as hard as her drug addled brain would allow. He let out and yell and threw her to the grown, he kicked her hard in the stomach over and over making her choke and cough.

"See what you made me do?" he said as he pulled the chair upright again.

She coughed as blood dripped from her lips.

"Now how about we call some friends, see how they are doing?" he said as he pulled the camera in front of her, the laptop on a stool next to it, and he began to dial out.

* * *

Sherlock and John re-entered the flat, and looked around, it held a horribly thick silence now.

"Bing Bong"

"Bing Bong"

John looked to Sherlock, who seemed to have a lapse, before he ran to his laptop and through it open.

"Incoming call on Skype" said Sherlock, "Call Lestarde up here" he said as he answered.

The screen was black at first then a figure moved, Sherlock couldn't see his as it was cut off by the camera angle, Scarlett face was now illuminated by a candle placed on a stool beside her.

"Say hello to your friends Scarlett" said the voice of her kidnapper.

John and Lestarde entered and stood behind Sherlock. Scarlett was bound to a chair, a cloth hung around her neck, Sherlock deduced she had previously been gagged by it.

"Hello" she said her voice weak, her eyes blinked rapidly, as though she was finding it hard to focus, she must have, suffered a bang to the head or had been drugged. Sherlock realised it was the latter as he syringe a syringe on the floor behind her.

"What do you want" asked Sherlock and suddenly a face of a man filled the screen.

"Why would you think I wanted anything" he said his head turning to the side.

"Because all criminals do, there is always a motive." said Sherlock his voice strong and angry.

"Now I have Scarlett, there is nothing in the world I could want" said the man.

"Goodbye, Mister Holmes" the man moved away from the screen and began to pace the room. Scarlett looked up into the camera; her face was blank and cold.

"Wait! If you don't want anything, why did you call?" asked Sherlock

"Just to let Scarlett say goodbye, you will not see her again" said the voice with a laugh.

"Scarlett we are coming, I will save you" Sherlock shouted at the laptop.

"Good bye, Sherlock" said the weak female voice; he watched a tear slip from her eyes, before the call ended and the screen went black.


End file.
